Creating a collective impact on childhood obesity: Lessons from the SCOPE initiative.

OBJECTIVES

We describe the processes used in SCOPE, a community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiative, to achieve multisectoral engagement and collective action to prevent childhood obesity.

PARTICIPANTS

SCOPE engages representatives from various sectors (local government, health, schools, recreation, local media, early childhood, community services) who influence the environments in which children live, learn and play.

SETTING

SCOPE has been implemented in three communities in British Columbia (BC).

INTERVENTION

SCOPE (www.live5210.ca) is a multi-setting, multi-component initiative designed to enhance a community's capacity to create and deliver localized solutions to promote healthy weights among children. SCOPE, in partnership with a local organization, engages multiple stakeholders who plan and implement actions framed by a common evidence-based health message ('Live 5-2-1-0'). SCOPE's central team in Vancouver, BC facilitates alignment with provincial initiatives, knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) within and across communities, and the collection, analysis and reporting of shared data.

OUTCOMES

Best practice processes that have emerged from SCOPE's experience align with the principles of CBPR and the five conditions of Collective Impact - a common agenda, mutually reinforcing action, continuous communication, a backbone organization and shared measurement. SCOPE has achieved sustainable practice change framed by a common agenda ('Live 5-2-1-0') leading to mutually reinforcing cross-sectoral action.

CONCLUSION

A multi-pronged community-led childhood obesity prevention initiative can be achieved using CBPR principles and attending to the conditions for achieving collective impact.